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Fri, 15 May 2020 13:54:46 +0200enTYPO3 - get.content.righthttp://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss2100AU’s rector on stages 2 and 3 of the reopening: Thanks a lot! More of the same, please. Preferably now!https://omnibus.au.dk/en/archive/show/artikel/rektor-om-fase-2-og-3-af-genaabningen-mange-tak-gerne-mere-og-gerne-nu/
Phase 2 of the gradual reopening of the country begins on Monday. A reopening that will basically bypass the university – which the rector hadn’t counted on. So now he expects that research activities will be allowed to resume in full force in phase 3, which is set to begin on Monday June 8th. Phase 2 of the gradual reopening of the country begins on Monday. A reopening that will basically bypass the university – which the rector hadn’t counted on. So now he expects that research activities will be allowed to resume in full force in phase 3, which is set to begin on Monday June 8th.

Facts: The reopening of AU: Phase 2

On Monday May 18th, almost 2,000 staff and students from AUs five faculties and the administration will be returning to campus.

Students who are allowed to come to campus from May 18th will be directly informed. Employees will be informed by their department/school head or administrative manager.

Danish society is being reopened in a controlled, phased way. And the various sectors of Danish society are jockeying to get to the front of the line. Rector Brian Bech Nielsen isn’t normally the ‘me first’ type. But these aren’t normal times:

“Of course, the universities are included in the assessment of the total risk of infection for the population in our society. But the risk of infection is not high at the university, and as a sector, our contribution to the spread of infection has also been assessed as low,” the rector pointed out.

On the one hand and on the other hand...

Here Bech Nielsen was referring to the report the government commissioned from three economics professors in connection with the political negotiations about the controlled reopening.

On the one hand, the report concludes that the risk of spreading infection posed by activities at the universities is low compared with activities in other sectors of society. On the other hand, the report also concludes that keeping the universities closed has relatively few negative socioeconomic consequences because the sector is able to continue operating more or less normally despite the shutdown.

The rector is well aware of these calculations:

“I’m completely on board with the need for us to bear our share of the burden, and that we have to live up to our social responsibility. And we’ve most certainly done so. Of course, there are lots (of sectors, ed.) that have good arguments for why politicians should prioritise them in particular. But as I said, we’re at the bottom of the scale with regard to the potential for spreading infection. And we’ve already demonstrated that we’re good at following the authorities’ instructions for reducing infection.”

As you say, a lot of sectors have good arguments for why they in particular should be at the front of the line for reopening. And isn’t it implicit in the concept ‘controlled reopening’ that not everyone can open at the same time?

“You’re absolutely right. But for example, I’ve noted that politicians have chosen to prioritise 6th through 10th grade. And of course, that’s good news for this important sector. We have equally good grounds to expect a similar reopening. But the government has decided not to prioritise a more general reopening of our research activities in phase 2,” the rector said.

Baffled about political priorities

He continued:

“I respect politicians’ duty to make hard choices, and I’d like to express my appreciation for the teaching and exam activities that phase 2 of the reopening will make be possible here at AU, because it means a lot for the affected students and staff. But I have to admit that I’m baffled that we’re not allowed to open up more of our research activities, because the risk of infection is apparently low.”

When asked to to summarize his reaction to the Danish politicians’ decisions in connection with phases 2 and 3 of the reopening, Bech Nielsen said laughingly:

“Thanks a lot! More of the same, please. Preferably now!”

“...public research activities that require physical attendance...”

When he said ‘preferably now’, the rector was primarily thinking of the possibility of reopening all research activities in phase 3, which begins on June 8th. So he laughed again when I ask him how he interprets the government’s statement that phase 3 will involve “full opening of public research activities that require physical attendance”.

“Yes, what that means is a good question. I believe that our politicians should authorise all research activities in phase 3.”

Give us back real university life

And in connection with phase 4, which is set to begin in early August, the rector looks forward to the university getting back to business as usual.

“Of course, it’s a little like playing whist with a blind partner when we talk about the situation in August, because the situation with the spread of infection can change over the coming months. But as a population, we have so far been good at complying with the government’s instructions.”

“So I also hope that we’ll be able to get much of our real university life back at that time, and that we’ll be allowed to resume on-campus activities across the entire university in August. We’ll probably need to be careful, for example by social distancing, but we can handle that, and we miss the life in our buildings and on our campuses.”

Facts: The reopening of Aarhus University – phase by phase

March 13th: Shutdown: AU shuts down its campuses as a consequence of the government’s decision to shut down much of the country to limit the spread of the coronavirus. All AU staff and students are sent home. Only staff who perform essential functions have access to AU’s buildings. These include animal technicians, employees who work with special kinds of research infrastructure and caregivers who patrol after AU’s grounds and buildings.

PHASE 1: 23 April: Limited reopening for 400 researchers

Including postdocs and PhD students from Health, Nat and Tech, and to a lesser extent Aarhus BSS, as well as lab technicians and other technical support staff. Also a few Master’s thesis students with lab work. The reopening also applied to few technical staff from Estates Facilities and elsewhere who dealt with preparations and cleaning in connection with the reopening.

1,071 students, 643 academic staff and 174 technical and administrative staff at Aarhus University can resume their studies and work. These staff and students are from all five faculties and the administration.

ON May 18th, the country’s libraries will open for loans and returns, including the Royal Danish Library.

PHASE 3: 8 June: Full opening of public research activities that require physical attendance

If the rates of infection continue the downward trend, public sector research activities that require physical attendance will resume from 8 June.

The ban on large groups will be relaxed to permit gatherings/events with 30-50 people, up from a maximum of ten.

PHASE 4: Early August: All degree programmes can reopen

All other degree programmes can reopen, with restrictions and guidelines on social distancing and hygiene.

Translation: Lenore Messick

]]>lobi@au.dkFri, 15 May 2020 13:33:00 +02002099Eleven concrete activities under four different themes to increase gender equality at AUhttps://omnibus.au.dk/en/archive/show/artikel/11-konkrete-aktiviteter-fordelt-paa-fire-temaer-skal-skabe-mere-ligestilling-paa-au/
The internal consultation on AU’s action plan for diversity and gender equality 2020-21 has begun. The action plan focusses on improving gender equality, with an emphasis on academic staff.The internal consultation on AU’s action plan for diversity and gender equality 2020-21 has begun. The action plan focusses on improving gender equality, with an emphasis on academic staff.

Action plan for diversity and gender equality at AU 2020-2021

The internal consultation on the draft version of a new action plan on diversity and gender equality has just begun. Employees and the faculties, departments/schools and in the administration will have an opportunity to comment on the draft, which was produced by the AU Committee for Diversity and Equality.

As stated in the description of its objectives, the plan “is an extremely important task, because, despite many initiatives over the years, diversity and gender equality remain an area with considerable shortcomings”.

One area in which the gender balance at AU really needs addressing is at the top of the career ladder - both in management and in academic positions. This is a challenge all of the Danish universities face. Just under one in four full professors at Danish universities is a woman. And even though the action plan applies to all AU employees, the primary focus is on academic staff.

AU’s Committee for Diversity and Equality has selected eleven concrete activities that will be carried out or initiated in 2020 and 2021. The eleven activities are linked to the four main themes the action plan deal with: recruitment, career development, leadership and workplace culture. And the plan also makes it clear who is responsible for carrying out the different activities and when they are to be completed.

Recruitment: Gender balance must be a factor in assessing candidates

There has to be a greater awareness of diversity and gender equality in every aspect of the recruitment process. This means, for example, that positions must be re-advertised if there is only one gender represented among the qualified applicants. And that consideration of the gender balance of a unit will be included as a relevant element in the assessment of candidates for a position.

Job advertisements will also be checked to ensure they are formulated in an inclusive way through digital text screening.

“The effect of language quality assurance by means of a digital tool for quality assurance of job advertisements will be tested. The tool will screen the text for linguistic stereotypes and gendered words and will promote the use of more inclusive language,” the action plan states.

Finally, all faculties will be required to offer tenure track assistant professorships, to give junior researchers hired at assistant professorship level better chances of moving on to an associate professorship.

Career development: Clarity about future prospects

The new action plan will add new tasks to the portfolios of the departments and schools. For example, creating greater clarity about the future employment prospects of academic staff. By June 2021, the departments and schools must have a staffing and recruitment plan that looks at least three years ahead for the job categories assistant professor, associate professor/senior researcher and professor. The departments and schools also have to review the qualification requirements for the different positions and revise them to ensure that they don’t contain “direct or indirect discrimination, discriminatory principles, stereotypes, etc.”

Finally, diversity and gender equality must be incorporated into general career development of employees, for example in connection with SDD dialogues.

Leadership: Active support for equality

From autumn 2020, the employment contracts for all new managers will contain a requirement to actively support the work of promoting diversity and equality at AU. And progress will be followed up in their leadership development interviews. The requirement will also be added to all employment contracts for current managers whose contracts are extended.

And in late 2020, the senior management team will also consider a proposed leadership development scheme that also includes diversity management.

Workplace culture: Local problems require local solutions

The action plan also addresses workplace culture, specifically in relation to creating conditions that better support the the well-being of female employees. In the autumn, the senior management team will participate in a seminar on equality and diversity. Workshops on equality and diversity will subsequently be held for the faculty management teams, the the administration's management team (LEA) and for the managers at the departments/schools and in the administration.

And the heads of the departments/schools will be responsible for carrying out local surveys to identify the most pressing issues they face in relation to diversity and gender equality. On the background of these surveys, each department/school will select the issues to address in a systematic fashion. Both of these initiatives will take place in 2021.

Progress will be monitored by the committee

AU’s Committee for Diversity and Equality will follow up on the progress on activities and the goal of promoting diversity and gender equality at AU every year. To do so, the committee will draw on various kinds of data described in the action plan – for example, the gender distribution of qualified applicants to academic positions and management positions, including in the administration, the gender distribution of applicants invited to interviews and the gender distribution of members of appointment committees and PhD committees.

And every third year, the plan is to carry out a WPA assessment of men’s and women’s satisfaction with their workplace across all units and job categories.

The senior management team will be responsible for the final evaluation of the action plan and its activities, after which local follow-up will take place.

The action plan will be in force through 2021, and the process of developing a new action plan for 2022-23 will begin in autumn 2021.

The consultation on the action plan will last until 26 June, and the senior management team is expected to approve it in August.

Translated by Lenore Messick

]]>mga@au.dkThu, 14 May 2020 20:20:00 +02002097AU Summer University goes digital in response to the coronavirus crisishttps://omnibus.au.dk/en/archive/show/artikel/coronakrisen-saetter-stroem-til-au-summer-university/
Most of the AU Summer University courses will be offered online this year. Most of the AU Summer University courses will be offered online this year.

Normally, thousands of students from AU and all over the world flock to AU’s main campus in July and August to take AU Summer University courses. But this year, students will have to experience summer university virtually. At a meeting on 28 April, AU’s Committee on Education decided that most of this year’s AU Summer University courses will be offered online. This step is being taken to ensure that the university will be able to offer summer school courses to students; right now, we just don’t know when the government will allow the Danish universities to open their doors again.

“Of course, this year will be a different experience for students, but we want to make sure that students have an opportunity to take courses during the summer vacation and earn extra ECTS credits they might need in connection with study abroad or an internship,” explained Rikke Nielsen, head of the International Office.

Not all courses can be offered online

But not all AU Summer University courses can be offered online.

“Some courses involve excursions or lab work, and until further notice, the plan is for these courses to be offered as planned. But of course, this all depends on what the authorities announce, and we’ll make a final decision about these courses no later than June 2, so that students are informed well in advance,” Nielsen explained.

The social aspects will also move online

A big part of the AU Summer University experience is the social program of activities, excursions and events that enhances the academic program.

“And right now, we’re looking at how we can create social activities online instead,” Nielsen said.

And she added that teachers at the summer university, half of whom are international guest teachers, have shown a lot of understanding for the decision to offer the courses online, and now have plenty of time to tailor their courses to distance learning.

The application deadline is May 5

Last year was AU Summer University’s best year ever in terms of the number of participants. 2,791 students participated in the courses at AU over the course of the summer.

If you’re interested, there’s still time to register for a course at AU Summer University. The application deadline for the second round of applications is May 5. And courses with available spots will continue to accept applicants until June 2.